The bill has yet to be totaled for the cleanup of the courthouse after the recent fire, but County Mayor Tim Stribling recently told the county commission that the repairs will be costly.

 “SERVPRO came in and stayed for about a week, and their initial scope of work to the insurance company was about $115,000, but has been reduced to about $75,000,” the mayor said. “We still have sheet rock to put in the vestibule, and ceiling tiles. We’re working with the insurance company on that to find the proper ceiling tiles that are fire rated to put back in.”

Stribling said that the outdated fire alarm system needs replacement as well.

“As far as the fire alarm, it was noted that the fire alarm did not work. It is a fire alarm for the building. It does not alert the fire department,” Stribling said. “I had some fire alarm people to come down Friday. The same people who service our fire alarms at the county complex. They will be giving us some quotes to replace the fire alarms because this one is no longer serviceable. It was put in during 1970 and they can no longer get parts for it. I went back to try and find the last time it was checked or serviced but we don’t have a record of that. The elevator is checked every month. It has smoke detectors tied to it and they did work. But as far as the fire alarm, we’re going to get it repaired.”

Smithville Police charged Gary Wayne Ponder, 52, with aggravated arson for intentionally setting the fire in a first-floor waste bin.